Overcoming Rough Terrain, PLN Delivers 24-Hour Electricity to 1,396 Households in Arfak Mountains, West Papua

PT PLN (Persero) has succeeded in delivering a full 24-hour electricity supply to 1,396 households across four districts in the Arfak Mountains Regency, West Papua. The effort stands as a concrete manifestation of energy equity in a mountainous region with formidable geographical challenges. The areas receiving the power supply upgrade include the districts of Minyambouw, Taige, Hingk, and Anggi Gida. This achievement was realised through the Village Electricity programme, which targets remote areas, and the implementation of the government’s New Electricity Installation Assistance scheme. Beyond enhancing supply reliability, this synergy also provides free energy access for underprivileged families in the region. Prior to the programme, residents in Minyambouw District only had electricity for 6 hours per day, whilst those in the other districts received power for 12 hours daily. Now, the electricity supply in these districts operates a full 24 hours. The success was met with enthusiasm by the local community. A resident of Minyambouw District, Paulus, expressed gratitude for PLN’s hard work in bringing 24-hour electricity to their area. ‘We are very grateful. We truly feel the benefits of this 24-hour electricity. PLN worked hard, planting poles and installing cables, and today the community is already enjoying the results,’ said Paulus. Member of Commission XII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Cheroline Chrisye Makalew, voiced appreciation for the realisation of this electrical infrastructure development. She commended the strong commitment and synergy between the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and PLN in answering the energy needs of the people in the West Papua region. ‘Here I express the highest appreciation to the Director General of Electricity and to PLN for the energy, commitment, and hard work carried out, so that our proposal could be realised. Today, four districts in the Arfak Mountains Regency can now enjoy a full 24-hour supply, up from the previous 6 and 12 hours only,’ said Cheroline during a Hearing Meeting at the DPR RI building in Jakarta on Thursday (4/6). Cheroline added that the arrival of 24-hour electricity brings extraordinary happiness to the local community. She also expressed hope that this collaboration will continue to reach other remote areas that have not yet attained energy justice. ‘On behalf of all the people from Hingk District, Taige District, Minyambouw District, and also Anggi Gida District, I say a big thank you because the electricity is now on 24 hours. We also appreciate the BPBL programme, which has truly been present and provided tangible benefits to the community. We hope this good collaboration can continue, so that more people in remote areas can enjoy reliable and sustainable electricity access,’ Cheroline continued. Responding to this, PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo asserted that delivering electricity to remote corners is part of PLN’s real commitment to achieving energy equity for all Indonesian people. ‘PLN believes electricity is the foundation of progress. Therefore, we continue to provide reliable electricity access even to areas with the most severe geographical challenges. The arrival of 24-hour electricity in the Arfak Mountains not only brings lighting but also opens up opportunities for economic growth, education, and the quality of life of the community,’ said Darmawan. General Manager of PLN’s Papua and West Papua Regional Main Unit, Roberth Rumsaur, explained that the electrical infrastructure development was successfully completed despite facing various extreme terrain challenges in the Arfak Mountains region. ‘This increase in operating hours was realised after the construction of a 23.75 km Medium Voltage Network and a 21.29 km Low Voltage Network connected to the Anggi electricity system. The construction process took place in an area with challenging geographical conditions, but thanks to community and local government support, the work was completed so people can now enjoy electricity a full 24 hours,’ said Roberth. PLN remains committed to providing equitable and fair energy access to the frontier, outermost, and disadvantaged regions across all corners of Indonesia.